Welcome and Welcome Back to All Our EPS Families.

We are excited to begin another wonderful year of learning, opportunities, and partnerships. I hope you all enjoyed a safe and relaxing break.

I look forward to working with you as we continue to strive towards our vision of providing a safe and supportive environment, with high expectations for our students’ academic progress, community engagement, and overall wellbeing.

Our year has started smoothly, thanks to the dedication of our amazing staff who gave their time during the holidays to prepare classrooms, set up learning spaces, and ensure everything was ready for a successful return.

This year, we are proud to welcome 450 students across 20 classes. A special mention goes to our 2026 Prep students, who experienced their very first day of school last week, and to all the new families who have joined the EPS community this year.

We are also proud of the learning conditions we are able to provide for our students. Under the Victorian Government Schools Agreement, primary schools are funded on an average class size of 26 students. At Elsternwick Primary School, our average class size this year is approximately 22.5 students. This is a significant point of difference, and one we are proud of, as it supports teachers to know their students well and respond to learning needs more effectively.

It was also wonderful to see Elsternwick Primary School featured in the media last week on Wednesday. It was lovely to see the clip celebrating students returning to school and capturing the excitement, energy, and buzz across the school, particularly with our Prep students beginning their learning journey.

I have been enjoying visiting the Prep classrooms each morning to say hello, check in, and introduce myself to our newest students. One Prep student said to me today, “I know who you are. You’re the big boss. My mum told me.” It certainly made me smile, and I have to say, they are not wrong.

Thank you for being part of our school, and I look forward to another fantastic year ahead.

New staff

I would like to extend a warm welcome to the following staff members joining EPS this year:

Lauren Karas (Prep A) Georgia Mutimer (2A) Patrick Campbell (5A) and

Matt Crosby (Physical Education)

A few changes…

We are pleased to welcome Ms Eliza Solly to our Wellbeing Team this year, taking on the role of Inclusion Leader. Many families will remember Ms Solly as our Year 3 Team Leader in 2025, and we are excited to see her bring her expertise and care into this important whole-school role. Ms Solly will work closely alongside Ms Leanne Williams and Mr Jed Kirby to support student wellbeing, inclusion, and engagement across the school. Families will also notice that both Mr Kirby and Ms Solly are now located in the Early Learning Area (ELA), near our Prep classrooms, which will further strengthen the support available to our youngest learners and the wider school community.

We would also like to acknowledge our School Improvement Team (SIT), which is also referred to as our School Leadership Team. This team plays an important role in leading continuous improvement across the school, supporting high quality teaching and learning, and ensuring we remain strongly focused on student outcomes and wellbeing.

Our School Leadership Team consists of Ms Leanne Williams (Assistant Principal), Ms Jacqueline Curlis (Leading Teacher, Mathematics), and Ms Sarah Fletcher (Leading Teacher, English). Ms Curlis and Ms Fletcher are our curriculum leading teachers, supporting consistent, engaging and effective learning programs across the school.

This year, the School Improvement Team also includes Ms Eliza Solly (Inclusion Leader) and Mr Jed Kirby, working alongside Ms Williams to strengthen our wellbeing and inclusion supports across the school.

I am proud to lead such a dedicated and capable leadership team, and I have great confidence in the work we will undertake together this year. With a strong foundation of expertise, fresh perspectives, and a shared commitment to excellence, we will continue to build on our achievements and ensure Elsternwick Primary School continues to go from strength to strength.

Tutor Learning Program

We are proud to continue our commitment to supporting student learning through the Tutor Learning Program in 2026, providing targeted intervention and extension opportunities in both literacy and numeracy. This program plays an important role in helping students build confidence, strengthen key skills, and make strong learning progress.

Ms Ebony Barber will continue as the Tutor Learning Program Leader for Term 1, working closely with Ms Jacqueline Curlis (Numeracy Leading Teacher) and Ms Sarah Fletcher (Literacy Leading Teacher) to identify students who will benefit from tailored support and to ensure consistent and effective implementation across the school.

We are also very excited to welcome Ms Cheryl Clarke back to Elsternwick Primary School. Cheryl worked at EPS for over 30 years and retired a few years ago, and we are grateful to continue welcoming her back to support the school in a range of roles. Cheryl was previously our English Leading Teacher, and we are delighted that she will return part-time to lead the Tutor Learning Program from Term 2, following Ms Barber’s completion of the role at the end of Term 1.

Introducing our Tutor Learning Program team for 2026:

Mr Brian Norris (supporting the program in Term 1. Brian has been at EPS for over seven years and will be leaving at the end of Term 1 to return to Ireland)
Ms Sharon Meeking (bringing over 30 years of experience at EPS)
Ms Sue Goddard (bringing over 30 years of experience at EPS)
Ms Natalie Bowerman (supporting Prep and Year 1 students in literacy)
Ms Jasmin Blackfors (currently completing her education degree at university)

With such a dedicated and highly skilled team, we look forward to the continued impact this program will have on student learning throughout the year.

Principal Points

Principal Points are back for 2026! Each staff member has 5 points each week to award to any student not in their class for displaying leadership qualities. All points are tracked on a whole-school database and tallied throughout the year, with updates provided to students during my weekly assembly address. The student with the most points towards the end of the year will be awarded ‘Principal for a Day’.

School Council

All government schools in Victoria have a School Council, a legally constituted body responsible for setting key directions within state-wide guidelines. By doing so, the School Council directly influences the quality of education provided to students. Parents and carers play a vital role on the council, offering valuable perspectives and skills that help shape the school’s future. Each year, approximately half of the School Council retires, allowing new members to get involved.

In the coming weeks, we will call for School Council nominations via Compass for the 2026–2028 EPS School Council. Membership is for a two-year term, with meetings held twice per term. Councillors also join one of the following subcommittees: Education, Buildings & Grounds, Finance, or Marketing.

If you’re interested in joining or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send an email to elsternwick.ps@education.vic.gov.au.

We look forward to welcoming new members who are keen to contribute to our school community!

Parent Payment Arrangements 2026 (School Fees)

Thank you to all families who have contributed or committed to supporting our school through Parent Payment Arrangements on Compass (formerly known as school fees). Your contributions play a vital role in enhancing learning opportunities for all students at EPS.

If you have not yet had a chance to do so, please visit Compass Course Confirmations/2026 School Fees to make a contribution through Compass.

The School Council letter outlines how your contributions directly support your child and all students at EPS.

If you have any questions or require a more flexible payment plan, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office at elsternwick.ps@education.vic.gov.au.

Your support is greatly appreciated!

Nude Food

At EPS, we encourage all students and staff to bring healthy, rubbish-free food to school. By doing so, we help keep our school grounds litter-free and reduce waste that could otherwise end up in our local canals, drains, and Port Phillip Bay.

I hope everyone has had a fantastic start to the year. It has been wonderful to see our students so settled, positive and engaged as they reconnect with friends and build strong classroom learning communities.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out throughout the year. I look forward to working in partnership with you as your child continues to learn, grow and thrive at EPS.

Have a great weekend,

Michael

Inform and Empower